The Girl In The Red Dress
by Maxcs
Summary: At first he just knew her at the captivating girl in the red dress but Rick will soon learn that she is so much more than that. Teenager!AU. Caskett/Esplainie/Kenny
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I don't own Castle_

_So it'll probably be easiest to imagine that Rick, Lanie and all our favourites are teenagers today rather than in 1970-whatever. Plus Kate is younger than Rick in Castle, here they're the same age. _

"Oh Richard, just set those down there for a moment" Martha instructed her seventeen year old son. Rick had been carrying four large boxes full of God-knows-what and put them down with a heavy sigh. It was the day of his mother's wedding and he had been employed as pack horse before his job of walking her down the aisle.

In only a few hours Martha Rogers was going to marry Dr Henry parish, a cardiologist whom she met whilst on holidays in the Hamptons with her son. The mother and son spent every Christmas vacation up in the Hamptons since Rick's father left some fifteen years previously and it wasn't until Martha met Henry that she truly felt what is what like to be loved like that again. There had been suitors over the years (many of which didn't get the seal of approval from Rick) but none ever made her feel the way Henry did.

As if out of a fairytale, Martha and Henry fell in love, came back to the city and saw that love bloom even further. They bonded over their spouses walking out many years before and raising their children on their own. Henry had a seventeen year old daughter Elaine or Lanie as she preferred.

While Martha and Henry had a blissful relationship, Rick and Lanie had a bit of a rocky start. Neither had any experience with siblings and struggled to get used to each other especially once Martha and Rick moved in with Lanie and her Dad. It took them a while but now as their union as siblings was becoming permanent, they protected, respected and bickered like they'd grown up together.

"Wait here for a moment, won't you? I need to track down the wedding planner" Martha asked as she set her suitcase and carry bag down with her son before walking off to find the wedding planner. Dropping down onto the seat beside him, Rick rested his arm over the boxes and let out a soft huff. The wedding hadn't even started and he was exhausted already. With his summer vacation coming to an end, Rick was to start his senior year of high school at a new school in a few days. He'd had no time to prepare and despite having Lanie there with him, he was going in blind. His future step-sister had been so involved with the wedding plans that she hadn't been able to give Rick any insight to his new school. It was going to be a big week with the wedding just the start.

Lanie was going to walk down the aisle before Martha then to stand beside her father. The bride and groom thought it would be lovely to involve their teenagers in the wedding as much as they could. This wedding was more than a union between two people but a union of two families. Both Martha and Henry hoped this would be the start of a great merging of their little families.

"Oh what's wrong Ricky?" Lanie giggled as she saw her future step-brother's posture.

Dressed in a pair of leggings and a beautiful Japanese style silk robe that Martha had given her, Lanie was ready to get her hair and makeup done. She'd come to lead Martha back to the room where they'd get ready.

"Why are you wearing pyjamas?"

Slapping his arm lightly, Lanie gave Rick her trademark glare "This is a silk robe not pyjamas, smartass"

"Could have fooled me" Rick commented with a chuckle. He thrived on feuding with Lanie; they knew how to spark something in the other in a playful way. As the pair continued to bicker back and forth, they didn't notice Martha return with her future husband by her side.

"What are the chances of this wedding stopping you two from quarrelling quite so much?" Henry chuckled. Honestly, he loved the relationship his daughter had with his soon to be step-son. Lanie had always been very reserved and since spending so much time with Rick, she had come out of her shell more. Her greater confidence and enthusiasm could also have something to do with her best friend returning from six months studying abroad in Italy.

"Isn't there some rule about not seeing the bride before the wedding?" Rick asked. He'd listened to Lanie and his Mom gush over this wedding so much that sadly, some of it had stuck in his mind.

"It's only bad luck if I see her in that gorgeous dress before she walks down that aisle" Henry smiled and pressed a soft kiss to Martha's temple.

"A dress which I should probably start getting ready to put on" Martha smiled "Richard, dear will you bring those boxes to the room?"

Martha gave her husband-to-be one last peck on the lips before picking up her suitcase and carry bag and following Lanie to the room. Henry pat Rick on the shoulder as he told him where to find his tux before leaving himself.

"That's ok, I didn't need any help with these anyway" the teenager mumbled to himself with a sigh as he picked up the boxes and trudged off behind his mother.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Rick sat on the padded bench outside the room where Lanie and his mother where getting ready. Checking his watch, the teenager saw there was only twenty minutes until the ceremony was meant to start. Back in the groom's room, a few of Henry's friends had come to encourage and support the doctor before making this lifelong commitment. As much as Henry tried to include Rick in the conversation, the teenager still felt left out. Rick got along with Henry and was appreciative of his effort but he was too young to really fit in with Henry's friends. Especially when the conversation turned to the wedding night and honeymoon, then it just got awkward.

Rick pulled his cell phone out of his pocket to finish the crossword he'd started the day before. He breezed through a few of the clues but it wasn't long until one stumped him. Always having a way with words, the teenager wanted to train his mind to use words and the English language to create something special. Rick aspired to become a writer with his first manuscript saved as a draft on his laptop. He wanted to be able to manipulate words to generate a whole new world a reader can immerse themselves into.

As he pondered a clue he looked down the hall away from the room he was waiting outside hoping the people walking into the ceremony sparked a thought. As his focus faded down the hallway, he didn't hear the door to his mother's room open and a young girl leave until she spoke up.

"'Clavis Aurea' is Latin for 'Golden Key'" she said as she pointed to his phone screen pulling him from his daze.

Looking up at the girl, Rick was suddenly speechless. There was no other word in his mind to describe her but 'breathtaking'. Wearing a floor length, strapless red dress that she wore like a model, she had her bronze curls pinned up loosely in a low bun. It was her gorgeous hazel eyes that Rick was so enchanted by. He could see flickers of gold and green around the iris and he could easily stare into her eyes for the rest of his life.

"72 down, 'Clavis Aurea' is Latin for 'Golden Key'" she repeated which effectively snapped Rick back to reality.

"Uh thanks" he smiled and filled in the answer which gave him enough to see that 68 across was 'Melbourne' for the clue 'Capitol of Southern Australian State'. With a nod the girl took a seat beside Rick and watched him answer 68 across before closing the game "Thanks again. How did you know that?"

"I dabble from time to time"

"In Latin? One doesn't just dabble in Latin like one doesn't just dabble in Shakespeare or the art of French Patisserie" Rick chuckled as his interest in this girl only grew with every passing moment. "Don't tell me you're an expert on Shakespeare and can cook a macaron better than the pastry chefs of Paris"

She giggled "Uh, I don't mind Shakespeare. I can understand it, most of the time but I'm no expert and I can't cook any kinds of desserts. I can't even bake cupcakes without them flopping"

"Then why of all things master Latin?"

"It was one of the language options at school freshman year and I just kind of stuck with it" she shrugged "I'm already fluent in Russian but you can thank my Mom for that"

Rick spluttered at the knowledge that she was even fluent in Russian. This girl seemed too much like a dream. She was smart, talented and incredibly beautiful. How was she real?

"Who are you?"

"Rick!" Henry's friend David called out from the other end of the hall "The ceremony is about to start and Henry wants to see Lanie for a minute"

"Right, I'll just get her" he called back wishing David had been only a minute later.

"I guess that's my cue to go find my seat. It was nice to meet you Rick, break a leg out there" the girl in the red dress smiled as she stood up and raced off toward the ceremony, leaving Rick feeling empty in a way. Capturing his heart then running off into the horizon, this girl intrigued Rick like no-one had done so before. He needed to know her; he needed to melt into those eyes but right now he needed to walk his mother down the aisle.

Standing up from his seat, Rick ran his hands over his jacket smoothing out any wrinkles before making his way over to the door and knocking "Are you girls decent in here?"

"Always my dear" Martha chuckled as she walked toward him letting him see her dress.

"Mother you look stunning" Rick smiled as he pressed a light kiss to her cheek not wanting to mess any makeup. Lanie coughed loudly beside him waiting for Rick to see her twirl around in her latte coloured bridesmaid dress. "You look beautiful too, Lanie"

"Thank you" the teenager smiled triumphantly

"Uh your Dad wanted to see you quickly before the ceremony started"

Promising to be back in a couple of minutes, Lanie grabbed her bouquet and left the room swiftly. She'd gotten so caught up in the fun of getting ready that she forgot all about her Dad and if he was nervous. Lanie could see how much her father loved and adored Martha that she knew there was nothing to worry about. She hadn't seen her father this happy since her mother cheated on him when Lanie was ten.

Martha fixed her son's collar, smoothing it out and making sure his boutonniere was pinned on securely. She continued to fuss over his suit and little things til Rick took both of her hands in his own and smiled "Today is going to be perfect"

"Are you sure you're ok with all this? Ok with Henry and Lanie and the wedding?" Martha asked anxiously. No matter how many times Rick had expressed how happy he was for her; she still held a small amount of anxiety. This was a big change for the both of them and if Rick was uncomfortable then she couldn't go through with the wedding.

Squeezing his mother's hands gently, he pressed a kiss to her knuckles "I'm more than ok with this. Henry adores you, he treats you right and that's all I could hope for you. You deserve to be happy, mother"

"You'll always be my favourite, Richard"

"I better be" he smiled "Now let's go walk you down that aisle"

_A/N: So what do you guys think? I hope you figured out who the girl in the red dress is (hint: it's Kate). Should I continue?_


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you all for the great response to the first chapter. _

_As always, I don't own Castle_

The ceremony was beautiful. Of course it was beautiful; it was the work of one Martha Rogers. The flowers were elegant but not overpowering, the music was smooth and the vows were romantic and personal. Rick could see Lanie wiping way joyful tears as her father slipped the simple gold wedding band onto Martha's finger. She wasn't alone in that department with many tissues brought out amongst the guests. Rick noticed the mysterious girl in the red dress wipe away a tear before passing the handkerchief to her mother (the resemblance gave that relationship away) who was a blubbering mess.

As the ceremony ended, everyone was ushered out onto the open rooftop for champagne and finger food while the penthouse space was converted from the ceremony set up to the reception set up. Rick lost sight of the girl in the red dress as Martha pulled him away for photos with their newly formed family. They were taking advantage of the sky bursting with vibrant shades of pink, purple and orange as the sun began to set over New York City. The teenager couldn't help but smile at how blissfully happy his mother was. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen a smile that lit up her whole self, a smile that carried from her eyes down to the skip in her step. Nothing made Rick happier than seeing the pure joy that was radiating from his mother.

It was Rick's job to get the formalities of the night started with his speech. With both Martha's parents sadly no longer with them, it was up to Rick to represent the Rogers family. The teenager had stressed over his speech for weeks unsure exactly what to say. He thought about quoting great actors knowing his mother would appreciate that. He'd even thought about reciting a Shakespeare soliloquy but he was glad to have ruled that out after his conversation with the girl in the red dress earlier.

It wasn't until he decided to speak from the heart that he knew exactly what to say. Starting off with a short quote from Romeo and Juliet (just to make his mother smile), Rick just spoke from his heart. Letting Henry know how incredibly lucky he was to have Martha in his life, he also thanked him for making Martha so happy. Rick never intended to make anyone cry but he smiled to himself as he looked around and there was not a dry eye in the house. He was proud that his words were able to evoke such emotion from the group gathered at the reception. He was more honoured that his words touched the heart of his mother and step-father.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Once the meal was over Martha had asked her son just to make the rounds with their family in case she couldn't get to them all by the end of the night. The teenager was happy to oblige but there was only so much he could take.

Picking up a glass of champagne from a passing waiter, Rick slipped out onto the rooftop before his Aunt Eloise could pinch his cheeks once again. No matter how old he was, Aunt Eloise still saw Rick like he was three years old. Leaning on the railing he looked out at the beautiful lights of New York City as he sipped his champagne. Martha had been fine with both Rick and Lanie having a glass or two but Henry was wary. What his step-father didn't know wouldn't hurt him, right?

"Hiding out?"

Rick turned toward the voice with a bright smile. Leaning on the railing beside him was the girl in the red dress. Those gorgeous hazel eyes sparkled in the moonlight as she smiled up at him.

"I can only take so much 'Oh how you've grown' and cheek pinching" he chuckled

"The woman with the green glasses in the dress that looks like a peacock?" she asked. She had noticed Rick looking uncomfortable over by that table and figured the rather outlandishly dressed woman had something to do with it.

"That's Aunt Eloise"

"She seems..."

"A little over the top?"

"Just a little" she giggled. Rick loved her laugh. The amusement showed not just in her smile but in her eye. It was a laugh that was genuine and happy. Rick loved her laugh. He couldn't go on any longer without at least knowing her name.

"Y'know, I never caught your name earlier"

"Kate"

Rick got the answer he wanted but it didn't come from the girl in the red dress. The pair turned to find Lanie making her way over to them. She pulled Kate into a hug like they'd known each other forever until it clicked with Rick. This was Lanie's best friend, the one who had spent the last six months in Italy. She was that Kate. Lanie had talked about this girl since she and Rick met but he'd never seen a photo. He'd made sure never to go into Lanie's room; he didn't want or need his head to be torn off.

"I see you've met my step-brother" Lanie smiled as she bumped Rick's shoulder gently "And he hasn't tortured you too much"

"Not at all" Kate smiled. She had really enjoyed talking to Rick even if he didn't know exactly who she was to begin with. Having heard about Rick from the copious amount of emails sent back and forth from Lanie, Kate felt like she knew him a little. Talking with him today turned that knowing him into liking him. "We were actually bonding over crosswords earlier. Finally someone who doesn't sigh when I ask for help on a clue"

"Ugh, you two can have your crosswords" Lanie chuckled as she screwed up her nose. She could never understand Kate's love for crossword puzzles and wasn't any help when she was stumped on a clue. If Rick could take that away then Lanie was more than happy to give it to him. "And your insane second languages" she sighed lightly "Did Rick tell you he speaks fluent Japanese?"

"Japanese? And you were surprised at me knowing Latin?" Kate gasped and hit Rick's arm gently.

"And Russian" Rick added with a smile. When he was faced with a beautiful woman who could speak two complex languages, his talent for picking up Japanese from Pokémon as a child seemed silly. It helped that his previous school offered it as a language elective giving him a chance to put his childish fun into something productive.

As a waiter passed the trio with a tray of champagne, Rick replaced his now empty glass and took a glass for both Kate and Lanie. They admired the city lights as they got to know each other a little better.

Rick and Lanie still had a lot to learn about each other. They had really only been a part of each other's lives for six months and there was still so much to discover. Rick knew Lanie wanted to go to medical school but he found out that she really wanted to be a medical examiner. She wanted to work with the police department, using her knowledge to solve murder cases. She and Kate hoped to work together with Lanie being an expert witness for Kate who aspired to be a lawyer. She strived to be the first female Chief Justice of the Supreme Court but she knew it would be a tough road to reach that goal.

Lanie and Kate learnt that Rick had a manuscript for a novel he had written on his laptop with its sequel in the works. He hoped to send it to a publisher one day but who would read a crime novel written by some seventeen year old kid? Honestly, he was terrified of rejection for something he had worked so hard on but he didn't tell the girls that.

Before their next glass of champagne and they learnt silly little things about each other like Rick's allergy to beetroots or Lanie's hatred for bananas for no good reason other than that they have a funny texture, Henry stole Lanie away for a father/daughter dance. Rick found his mother with Aunt Eloise and whisked her away. She thanked him as they swayed across the floor for saving her from an awkward encounter with her sister. Martha loved her sister dearly but Eloise was the kind of person who spoke before she thought and in conjunction with the Rogers overdramatic spirit, she was hard to handle sometimes.

Rick was so happy for his mother in that moment. She had married a man who adored her and made her happier than she had ever been in years. She was getting the fairytale ending she wished she could have had with Rick's father before he left. Nothing made the teenager happier than to see how this joy made his mother even more beautiful than she already was. As the song ended, Rick felt a tap on his shoulder.

"May I cut in?" Henry asked with a smile. Pressing a soft kiss to her cheek, Rick passed his mother's hand over to Henry. How her demeanour changed when she came close to Henry made smile. It was like Henry just instantly brightened everything about Martha, like he was her sunlight after so much darkness.

Rick watched his mother and step-father dance for a moment with a smile. Looking around amongst the guests, he saw the perfect opportunity. While Lanie danced with her cousin, Rick made his way over to Kate and took her hand gently "Would you care to dance?"

"I thought you'd never ask" Kate chuckled as she led Rick out onto the dance floor. Pulling him close, she rested one hand on his shoulder while she held his other hand to their touching chests. Rick rested his cheek to her temple as they swayed gently to the music. The reception and everything around them fell away as they held each other close.

It felt right.

Being together, holding each other felt natural. Their bodies moulded perfectly together much like their fingers as they laced together. Kate closed her eyes for a moment as she took in everything about Rick from his sweet aroma to the way his thumb brushed hers with every beat of the music.

"You are beautiful" Rick spoke softly as he pulled away to look into Kate's mesmerising eyes.

As the heat rose in her cheeks, Kate shook her head "Thank you. You'll be disappointed when you see me without all this glam"

Taking the hand that had rested on the small of her back; he brought it up to her cheek cupping it gently. Brushing his thumb back and forth, Rick smiled "I didn't say you looked beautiful just tonight. I don't need to see you without a pretty dress to know you're beautiful, Kate"

All Rick wanted to do in that moment was to press his lips to hers and show her how much he liked her and love being with her but he couldn't. She was Lanie's best friend; Rick couldn't even imagine what Lanie would say about him having feelings for Kate. The last thing he needed to do was get on his step-sister's bad side especially when it involved Kate. Instead, Rick pressed a soft kiss to Kate's temple as they resumed their previous embraced position. It tore his heart out to give her so little when he felt so strongly for her but Rick knew it was for the best.

Two more songs played and the pair stayed wrapped up in each other's arms swaying gently. Neither wanted to move or speak and ruin the moment they had. The MC ruined it for them as he announced the happy couple were about to leave and it was time to say goodbye. Rick squeezed Kate's hand gently before stepping out of their embrace knowing a lot of the guests would now turn to him and Lanie to say goodbye to their parents.

It was Rick's turn to leave Kate empty in a way. She longed to be back in his arms, to feel his strong hands holding her close, to feel his warm breath across her skin. Kate had never felt a need like this for anyone before especially someone she had only just met. There was just something about Rick that made her want to spend all her time by his side.

Martha and Henry made their way around to all their guests and said their goodbyes leaving Rick and Lanie to the very end. The couple knew their children would be fine on their own in the apartment for three weeks but it was the first time they would be alone like this. Henry worried that a break-in or a fire would happen while Martha worried that Rick and Lanie would kill each other by the time they got back. This was the teenagers' true test of whether they will get alone as brother and sister. It also worried Martha that she would be missing Rick's first day at his new school. Even though he was almost eighteen years old and going into his senior year, she still worried for him like he were back in Kindergarten. He was her baby boy, she was allowed to.

Rick and Lanie assured their parents that they would be fine and they would only call if there was an absolute emergency. They wanted their parents to enjoy their three weeks touring France and Spain without any stress. They deserved a romantic holiday together. The pair waved as the elevator closed around their parents, their journey just beginning. Having to say goodbye themselves as everyone began to head home, they parted ways. Rick was dreading his encounter with Aunt Eloise but had a fake getaway story planned in case she went for his cheeks.

As he finished the rounds with his family, Rick felt a hand take his and pull him out onto the now empty rooftop. He only needed to see the flash of red to know who it was pulling him to the dark corner and pressing him against the wall. His hands immediate cupped her face as they both moved closer. Capturing her lips, their kiss was full of passion and need. They parted as the need for oxygen became too much.

"Kate..."

"I couldn't go without doing that" she smiled and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek before racing off to find her parents.

Taking a deep breath, Rick just smiled savouring the moment.

_Your thoughts?_

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